When I listened to the lecture by Dr. Israr Ahmed, in which he was saying that our holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad said: “”خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ”
Translation
“The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it”
(reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith numbers 5027 and 5028 in some editions)
At the same time, I decided to learn Arabic deeply and teach it to others. That’s why I created my website and started giving you detailed lectures. Today, in this article, you will learn the first part of Surah Al-Fatiha, which is the first surah in the Quran. You will learn the verses in Arabic, with translations in Urdu and English.
We will also dig deeper into each Arabic root word and, where needed, I will mention Arabic grammar concepts. If you’re a beginner in learning Arabic and want to memorize the Quran, this article is worth it for you.
What Is Surah Fatiha?
Surah Al-Fatiha is the very first chapter of the Holy Quran, and it has 7 short verses. It is like an introduction to the whole Quran. In this Surah, we praise Allah for being kind and powerful, and we ask Him to show us the right and good path in life. Muslims must recite this Surah in every single prayer (Namaz), and it is also used as a special prayer for healing when someone is sick.
Surah Al-Fatiha is divided into two equal parts. This makes it a beautiful conversation between a human and Allah. As Dr. Israr Ahmed explained based on a holy Hadith, Allah Himself splits this Surah into two halves.
The first part is for Allah, where we praise His greatness, His kindness, and His power as the Master of everything. The second part is for the human, where we ask Allah for help and beg Him to guide us to the straight and right path.
Dr. Israr Ahmed beautifully concluded that because this Surah has these two core parts, the entire rest of the Quran is just a detailed explanation of this single prayer.
Verse 1: Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim
Arabic
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Urdu (Fateh Muhammad Jalandhri)
شروع الله کا نام لے کر جو بڑا مہربان نہایت رحم والا ہے
English (Sahih International)
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Most printed Qurans count this line as verse 1 of Al-Fatihah. Some scholars, such as Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik, did not count it as part of the surah, according to Ibn Kathir.
Word by Word
| Arabic | Root | Urdu | English |
| بِسْمِ (bi + ism) | س م و | نام سے | In (the) name |
| اللَّهِ | أ ل ه | اللہ کے | (of) Allah |
| الرَّحْمَٰنِ | ر ح م | بہت مہربان | the Most Gracious |
| الرَّحِيمِ | ر ح م | نہایت رحم والا | the Most Merciful |
Root Words and Grammar
The word ism (name) comes from the root س م و. One commentary on Al-Fatihah published on Al-Islam.org explains that Arabic scholars link this root to the idea of height.
Both Rahman and Rahim come from the same root, ر ح م, which carries the meaning of mercy.
Grammar tip: the letter bi is a preposition, so the word after it takes the genitive case. Allah is genitive too, because it completes the phrase “name of Allah.”
Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim are adjectives that describe Allah. That is why they copy its case.
Here is a small detail for Arabic learners. Maarif ul-Quran notes that the Uthmani script drops the alif in bismi. In another verse, bismi Rabbik (96:1), the alif stays.
What Scholars Say
According to Maarif ul-Quran, Rahman describes a mercy that reaches all creation. Rahim describes a mercy that is perfect in every way.
Ibn Kathir adds that Rahman covers more meanings of mercy than Rahim. He also explains that Rahman is used only for Allah, while Rahim can describe others. Verse 9:128 uses it for the Prophet ﷺ.
Live It
Ibn Kathir writes that saying Bismillah is recommended before any deed. The Prophet ﷺ told young Umar bin Abi Salamah to say it before eating.
Ibn Kathir also records a hadith from Imam Ahmad. When you say Bismillah, Shaytan shrinks until he is as small as a fly.
Start small. Say it before your next meal, your next lesson, and your next drive.
Verse 2: Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-Alamin
Arabic
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Urdu (Fateh Muhammad Jalandhri)
سب طرح کی تعریف خدا ہی کو (سزاوار) ہے جو تمام مخلوقات کا پروردگار ہے
English (Sahih International)
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Word by Word
| Arabic | Root | Urdu | English |
| الْحَمْدُ | ح م د | ہر طرح کی تعریف | All praises and thanks |
| لِلَّهِ | أ ل ه | اللہ ہی کے لیے | (be) to Allah |
| رَبِّ | ر ب ب | پالنے والا | the Lord |
| الْعَالَمِينَ | ع ل م | تمام جہان | of the universe |
Root Words and Grammar
Al-hamdu sits in the nominative case. Lillahi joins the letter li (for) with Allah, so the phrase means “belongs to Allah.”
Rabbi is in the genitive case because it links to al-alamin. Together they form the phrase “Lord of the worlds.”
Al-Alamin is a plural noun. Ibn Kathir says its singular, alam, has no singular form of its own.
What Scholars Say
Ibn Kathir explains that Rabb means the owner who has full authority over what he owns. It also means master and leader. Used alone, the word belongs only to Allah.
He says alam includes everything that exists except Allah. He also mentions that Al-Farra and Abu Ubayd limited it to beings with a mind, such as jinn, humans and angels.
Sahih Muslim (395) records that Allah answers this verse with the words, “My servant has praised Me.”
Live It
This verse teaches you to notice who gave you what you have. Say Alhamdulillah for the easy days.
Say it on the hard days too. It reminds you that your Lord runs every world, including the one you are struggling in.
Verse 3: Ar-Rahman ir-Rahim
Arabic
الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Urdu (Fateh Muhammad Jalandhri)
بڑا مہربان نہایت رحم والا
English (Sahih International)
The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Word by Word
| Arabic | Root | Urdu | English |
| الرَّحْمَٰنِ | ر ح م | بہت مہربان | The Most Gracious |
| الرَّحِيمِ | ر ح م | نہایت رحم والا | the Most Merciful |
Root Words and Grammar
You met these two names in verse 1. Here they appear again, both from the root ر ح م.
Both are adjectives in the genitive case. They describe Rabb from the verse before.
What Scholars Say
Ibn Kathir quotes Al-Azrami on the difference. Allah is Rahman to all creation and Rahim to the believers.
Ibn Kathir also quotes a hadith recorded by At-Tirmidhi. Allah says He is Ar-Rahman, and He took the word for the womb, rahim, from His own name.
Allah will keep ties with the one who keeps family ties. He will cut ties with the one who cuts them.
In Sahih Muslim (395), Allah answers this verse with the words, “My servant has extolled Me.”
Live It
Mercy is an attribute you can copy in small ways. Call the relative you have been avoiding this week.
The hadith above links your family ties to Allah’s own name. That gives every phone call a bigger meaning.
Verse 4: Maliki Yawmid-Din
Arabic
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
Urdu (Fateh Muhammad Jalandhri)
انصاف کے دن کا حاکم
English (Sahih International)
Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.
Word by Word
| Arabic | Root | Urdu | English |
| مَالِكِ | م ل ك | مالک | (The) Master |
| يَوْمِ | ي و م | دن کا | (of the) Day |
| الدِّينِ | د ي ن | جزا و انصاف | (of the) Judgment |
Root Words and Grammar
Maliki is an active participle (ism al-fail). This form names the one who does an action, so it means “the one who owns.”
All three words are in the genitive case. Yawmi and ad-din form a phrase that means “day of recompense.”
Here is a detail on recitation. Most reciters read Maliki with a short vowel, meaning “King.” Asim, Al-Kisai, Yaqub, and Khalaf in one narration read Maaliki, meaning “Owner.” Hafs, the reading printed in most Qurans today, comes from Asim.
What Scholars Say
Ibn Kathir quotes Ibn Abbas on the meaning. The Day of Din is the Day of Recompense, when Allah reckons each person’s deeds.
Ibn Kathir also says the verse names this Day for a reason. On that Day, no one else will claim to own anything.
Sahih Muslim (395) says Allah answers this verse with the words, “My servant has glorified Me.”
Live It
Ibn Kathir shares a saying from Umar ibn al-Khattab. He said to hold yourself accountable before you are held accountable.
Try it tonight. Spend two minutes going over your day and note one thing you would do differently tomorrow.
Verse 5: Iyyaka Nabudu wa Iyyaka Nastain
Arabic
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
Urdu (Fateh Muhammad Jalandhri)
(اے پروردگار) ہم تیری ہی عبادت کرتے ہیں اور تجھ ہی سے مدد مانگتے ہیں
English (Sahih International)
It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
Word by Word
| Arabic | Root | Urdu | English |
| إِيَّاكَ | (pronoun) | صرف تجھے | You Alone |
| نَعْبُدُ | ع ب د | ہم عبادت کرتے ہیں | we worship |
| وَإِيَّاكَ | (pronoun) | اور صرف تجھ سے | and You Alone |
| نَسْتَعِينُ | ع و ن | ہم مدد مانگتے ہیں | we ask for help |
Root Words and Grammar
Iyyaka is a separate pronoun that means “You.” Arabic places it before the verb here, and Ibn Kathir reads this as “You alone and none else.”
Nabudu is a first person plural verb from ع ب د. Nastainu comes from ع و ن and is in Form X, which often carries the sense of seeking something.
Notice that both verbs say “we,” not “I.”
Ibn Kathir points out a shift in tone. Until now the surah spoke about Allah in the third person. Here the servant turns and speaks to Him directly, using the word You.
What Scholars Say
Ibn Kathir says some early scholars called this verse the secret of Al-Fatihah. The first half declares freedom from shirk. The second half accepts that all power belongs to Allah.
Abul Ala Maududi explains that ibadah carries three meanings at once. They are worship, obedience, and service.
In Sahih Muslim (395), Allah says of this verse, “This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asks for.” This is the verse that connects the two halves of the surah.
Live It
This verse asks you to do two things together. Give your effort and your worship to Allah, and rely on Him for the result.
Before your next big task, pause and say it once slowly. Then start working.
What You Learned in Verses 1 to 5
- Verse 1: Start every act by naming Allah, the Rahman and Rahim.
- Verse 2: All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of every world.
- Verse 3: His mercy is wide, and it is special for the believers.
- Verse 4: He alone owns the Day when every deed is reckoned.
- Verse 5: We worship Him alone, and we ask Him alone for help.
The first four verses are all about Allah. The fifth is shared. That leads straight into what we ask for in verses 6 and 7, which we will cover in Part 2.